An example method described herein includes obtaining a private identifier for a private radio access network (RAN). The private identifier may be used by a user equipment (UE) to access the private RAN. The method may include deploying network functions to one or more devices of a private network platform. The network functions may be associated with one or more radio access technologies (RATs). The method may include configuring the private network platform to host the network functions to provide a private multi-access edge computing (MEC) environment. The private MEC environment may be configured to host one or more MEC applications. The method may include configuring a communication interface between the private RAN and the private MEC environment to enable the UE to access, via the private RAN, the private MEC environment and performing an action associated with the private MEC environment.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method, comprising: obtaining a private identifier for a private radio access network (RAN), wherein the private identifier is used by a user equipment (UE) to access the private RAN; deploying network functions to one or more devices of a private network platform, wherein the network functions are associated with one or more radio access technologies (RATs), wherein the one or more RATs include at least one of: enhanced Long-Term Evolution (eLTE), or New Radio (NR); configuring the private network platform to host the network functions to provide a private multi-access edge computing (MEC) environment, wherein the private MEC environment is configured to host one or more MEC applications; configuring a communication interface between the private RAN and the private MEC environment to enable the UE to access, via the private RAN, the private MEC environment; and performing an action associated with the private MEC environment.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network functions include Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network functions and Next Generation Core (NGC) network functions, and wherein the private RAN includes a base station, wherein the base station is configured to communicate with the private network platform to enable the UE to access, via the base station, the private MEC environment, and wherein the base station is configured to communicate with a core network to enable the UE to access the core network.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the private RAN further includes a New Radio (NR) base station, wherein the NR base station is communicatively coupled with the base station to permit the base station to communicate with the core network or to permit the UE to communicate with the core network via the base station.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network functions include Next Generation Core (NGC) network functions, and wherein the private RAN includes a New Radio (NR) base station, wherein the NR base station is configured to communicate with the private network platform to enable the UE to access, via the NR base station, the private MEC environment, and wherein the NR base station is configured to communicate with a core network to enable the UE to access the core network.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the private RAN and the private network platform provide a private network, wherein the network functions provide flexible bandwidth allocation, and wherein physical resources of the private network can be separated to provide a plurality of network slice instances, wherein each of the network slice instances may be associated with a corresponding private RAN and a corresponding private MEC environment.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: configuring a communication interface between the private RAN and a network, wherein the communication interface between the private RAN and the network permits the UE to access the MEC applications from the network.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the private MEC environment hosts the one or more MEC applications by: running the one or more MEC applications according to a request from the UE; and providing, to the UE, data associated with running the one or more MEC applications in the private MEC environment.
8. A device, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the one or more memories, to: provision a radio access network (RAN) as a private RAN, wherein the private RAN is accessible by a user equipment (UE) using a private identifier, and wherein the private RAN includes at least one of: an enhanced Long-Term Evolution (eLTE) base station, or a New Radio (NR) base station; configure one or more devices of a private network platform to include network functions associated with the private RAN, wherein the network functions are associated with a radio access technology (RAT) that provides flexible bandwidth allocation via the private RAN; configure, based on the network functions, a private multi-access edge computing (MEC) environment within the private network platform, wherein the private MEC environment is configured to host one or more MEC applications; and perform an action associated with the private MEC environment to permit the UE to access the one or more MEC applications.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the private MEC environment hosts the one or more MEC applications by: running the one or more MEC applications according to a request from the UE, and providing, to the UE, data associated with running the one or more MEC applications in the private MEC environment.
10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the private RAN, the private network platform, and the private MEC environment are controlled by a single entity.
11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the MEC applications include one or more private MEC applications, wherein the private MEC applications may be accessed for use only by UEs associated with an entity that controls the private network platform, wherein the entity has exclusive access to the one or more private MEC applications.
12. The device of claim 8 , wherein the private MEC environment can only be accessed via a communication session that originates through the private RAN.
13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the RAT comprises at least one of: enhanced Long-Term Evolution (eLTE), or New Radio (NR).
14. The device of claim 8 , wherein the NR base station is communicatively coupled with a base station to permit the base station to communicate with a core network or to permit the UE to communicate with a core network via the base station.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: provision a radio access network (RAN) as a private RAN, wherein the private RAN is accessible by a user equipment (UE) using a private identifier, and wherein the private RAN includes one or more base stations associated with one or more types of radio access technologies (RATs); deploy network functions to one or more server devices of a private network platform associated with an entity, wherein the network functions include Next Generation Core (NGC) network functions; configure, based on the network functions, a private multi-access edge computing (MEC) environment within the private network platform, wherein the private MEC environment is configured to host one or more MEC applications, and wherein the private MEC environment can be accessed by the UE only via the private RAN; and perform an action associated with the private MEC environment that permits the UE to access the one or more MEC applications.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more types of RATs include at least one of: enhanced Long-Term Evolution (eLTE), or New Radio (NR).
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more base stations includes an enhanced Long-Term Evolution (eLTE) base station, and wherein the network functions further include Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network functions.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more base stations includes a New Radio (NR) base station and the private MEC environment is managed by at least one of: an authentication server function, or a unified data management function.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more MEC applications include private MEC applications that are associated with the entity, wherein the private MEC applications are configured to be accessible only to representatives of the entity.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more NGC network functions includes one or more of: a network slice selection function (NSSF), a network exposure function (NEF), a network resource function (NRF), an applications function (AF), a session management function (SMF), or a user plane function (UPF).
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January 23, 2019
September 1, 2020
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